Hosiery



Aug, 22, 1950 w DE MQND 2,520,091

INVENTOR: m'lfyJe/Ua/df BY @l A? ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED 'rArss ArtNr ortica g HOSIERY Willy deMond, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Sanson Hosiery Mills, Inc.,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Q Application April 7,1950, Serial No. 154,682

9 claims. (c1. (ss-178') This invention relates to hosiery. Moreparticularly, it is concerned with plain knitted (as distinguished fromrib knitted) full length or ladies ne gauge or sheer stockings producedfrom synthetic yarn such as nylon, which can be set by heat treatmentincident to boarding for capacity to withstand subsequent launderingswithout undergoing change in shape.

The chief aim of my invention is to increase the elasticity of stockingsof the kind referred to, while at the same time rendering them moreresistive to snagging and laddering.

These objectives I have attained in practice, as hereinafter more fullydisclosed, by forming the stockings after they have been shaped byboarding in the usual way, with lengthwise eX- tending accordion pleats,and subjecting them while pleated, to the action of steam at thetemperature and pressure sufficiently high for a time interval of theproper duration to permanentize the folds.

In the nished relaxed stockings, the crease lines resulting from thepleating produce a corrugated or fluted effect which is highlyornamental and attractive, said crease lines disappearing, however, uponexpansion of the fabrics as the stockings are drawn on to the legs ofthe wearers.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the followingdetailed description of the attached drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a viewin side elevation of a walewise pleated stocking conveniently embodyingmy invention.

Fig. 2 shows a fragment of the fabric of the stocking.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic fragmentary cross sectional View of the pleatedfabric showing it in its normal relaxed condition.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing how the pleats disappear upontransverse expansion of the fabric as the stocking is drawn into the legof the wearer.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views like Figs. 1 and 2 of an alternate embodiment ofmy improved stocking in which the pleats extend on a bias to the -walesof the fabric.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views in turn like Figs. 1 and 2 showing still anotheralternative embodiment in which the stocking is pleated on a bias inopposite directions.

The stocking exemplified in Fig. l will be observed a's being of theshaped or full fashioned type such as is ordinarily produced in acontinuous operation on a straight knitting machine,

2 inforced cradle foot I0, and a back seam I I ex tending from its topedge to the toe tip. It is to be understood that in accordance with myinvention, the stocking of Fig. l is plain knitted and, as shown, is inthis instance permanently pleated lengthwise, the pleats or utings I2being defined by sharp crease lines and appearing as relatively shallowridges -which extends v'outwardly and inwardly of the fabric F asdiagrammatically shown at I3 and I4 in Figs. 2 and 3 when the fabric is`relaxed, the apices of said ridges lying, for the most part, -Wale-wiseof the fabric as indicated by the correspondingly numbered brokenvertical lines in Fig. 2 andintersecting the fabric courses at rightangles.

It will be seen that the pleats create a highly pleasing aestheticappearance in the stocking, and although permanently set into thefabric,

disappear entirely upon lateral expansion of the fabric as the stockingis drawn onto the leg of the wearer. Moreover the permanently bent loopsalong the ridge lines or creases i3 and i4 tend to render the fabricmore resistive to snagging or laddering.

In the alternative embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6, the pleats i2a aredisposed at an angle or on a bias relative to the wales of theplain-knitted fabric of the stocking with creation likewise of anattractive appearance. As a consequence of permanent bending the fabricloops of different wales along the broken lines I3a, Ma representing theridges of the pleats in Fig. 6 which extend at an angle to both thefabric wales and courses, the modified stocking is rendered even moreresistive to snagging and laddering than in the first describedembodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 as will be readily understood.

In either of the two above exemplified cases, the pleats may be producedby laying the stockings flat, after boarding, between two strips ofpaper or other suitable sheet material, and running the assemblagethrough a suitable crimping or pleating machine. After having passedthrough the crimping machine, convenient lengths of the pleated paperstrips with the stockings folded between them are rolled up andseparately wrapped in sheets of plain paper. The rolls so prepared arenext placed in a treating chamber such as is ordinarily used inpreboarding nylon stockings, and while in the chamber, subjected to theaction of steam at a pressure and temperaturesu'ciently high to insurepermanent setting of the folds in the fabric. Finally, after treatmentin the chamber for the requisite time interval, the rolls are withdrawnand, after being allowed to cool somewhat, are opened up and thestockings removed from between the enclosing layers of the crimped moldpaper and assume the attractive appearance described of them inconnection with Figs. 1 and 5.

The further modified stocking shown in Fig. 7, is characterized byhaving pleats |25 extending in oppositedirections .with creation ofachecked or diamond pattern which is defined by uniformly spaced creaselines 15b crossed upon the crease lines l3b, I4?) as in Fig. 8. Thiseffect is secured simply by running the stocking, after it has beenpleated in one direction and set like the stocking of Fig. 5, throughthe pleating machine a second time, properly laid flat betweenotherxnold paper sheets to predetermie pleats at an angle to thoseformed during the first pass through the machine. The second settingoperation in the treating chamber is however carried out with steam atatemperature and pressure somewhat lower than in the rst instance-toprevent elimination of the pleats previously produced. The plain-knittedfabric-of the stocking` of Fig. '7 isof course also rendered moreelastictransversely by the crossed pleats :as welles more resistive toeasy snagging and ladderingalike thestocliing o-Fig 5.

.In the lalternative embodiments of Figs. 5 and 7,'the.we1ts, feet andback seams are identified by thesame numerals .used in Fig. 1, withaddition of the letter a and5 respectively however for convenience ofmoreready distinction.

rWhileI` haveV particularly described my invention. by reference toplain flat knitted fashioned stockings, it isnot necessarily -conned tosuch stockings Aalone, :since plain-knitted seamless stockingsA of-nyloxncan benished inthe same mannerafter boarding vwith attainment. oflike advantages.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

1.,-Asaf new article-of manufacture, a-stocking plain-knittedifrom nylon-and accordion pleated, the pleat-deining Acreases being permanently setintothe fabric at .anangleto the fabric courses and visible when thestocking isrelaxed,- but disappear-ingas .the stocking is .drawn ontothe leg of thewearer.

2.. Astockingaccordingto claim 1, wherein the pleats extend inthedirection of thelength of the` stocking.

3. A stocking according to claim 1, with pleats in crossed relation andwith the respective pleatdening creases at an angle to both the fabricwales and courses.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a stocking with a turned welt at thetop, and a reinforced cradle foot, plain-knitted from nylon andaccordion f pleated throughout, the `pleatdening creases beingpermanentlyset into the fabric at an angle to the fabric courses andvisible when the stocking is relaxed, but disappearing as the stockingis drawn onto the leg of the wearer.

5. A stocking according to claim 4, wherein the pleatsextend Agenerallyin the direction of the length of the stocking.

'6. A stocking according to claim 4 with pleats in crossed relation, andwith the respective delining creases at an'angle to both the fabricwales and courses.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a longitudinally-seamed -fashionedstocking plain-knitted from nylon and accordion pleated, thepleat-deiining creases being permanently set into the fabric at an angleto the fabric courses and visible when the stocking is relaxed, butdisappearing as the stockingis drawn onto the leg of the wearer.

8. A stocking according to claim 7, wherein the pleats extendgenerally-in .the direction of the length of the stocking.

9. A stocking .according to claim 7, with pleats in crossed relation,and with the respective delining creases atan angle to both the fabricwales and courses.

WILLY er. MOMI REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date .626,864 Huse June 13,.'18992,144,685 .Melloret a1 Jan. 24, 1939 2,157,116 Carothers May-9, 19392,157,119 Miles, Jr May 9, 1939 2,213,797 Claussner Sept. 3, 19402,251,268 Clawson Aug. 5, 1941 2,316,822 Thurston etal Apr. 20, 19432,450,948 Foster Oct. 12, 1948

